Over time, any soil that’s being farmed will lose nitrogen. This nitrogen must be replaced in order for your garden to maintain optimal productivity. This is why farmers use fertilizers, however, most chemical fertilizers are extremely damaging to ecosystems. There are large algae blooms that are choking sea life off the coast of South America as a result of fertilizers used in North America that travel down the Mississippi River.

Using natural fertilizers like beans and peas is always the most sustainable way to go. The best way to do this is to plant cover crops in the winter and when about two thirds of them are flowering, turn them under into the soil to fix nitrogen in your soil. Below is a basic demonstration of cover crop use.